Predicting rheumatoid arthritis progression from seronegative undifferentiated arthritis using machine learning: a deep learning model trained on the KURAMA cohort and externally validated with the ANSWER cohort.

Background: Undifferentiated arthritis (UA) often develops into rheumatoid arthritis (RA), but predicting disease progression from seronegative UA remains challenging because seronegative RA often does not meet the classification criteria. This study aims to build a machine learning (ML) model to predict the progression from seronegative UA to RA using clinical and laboratory parameters.

Methods: KURAMA cohort (training dataset) and ANSWER cohort (validation dataset) were utilized.

Distinct impact of RF and ACPA titre on the effectiveness and persistency of biologics and JAK inhibitors: The ANSWER cohort study.

Objectives: We aimed to identify the impact of rheumatoid factor (RF) or anticyclic citrullinated peptide antibody (ACPA) titres on the retention of biological disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (bDMARDs) and Janus kinase inhibitors (JAKis) in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

Methods: We retrospectively analysed 5312 courses of bDMARDs or JAKis from the ANSWER cohort. To calculate hazard ratios (HRs) for treatment discontinuation, we used multivariate Cox proportional hazards modelling, adjusted for potential confounders.

The Therapeutic Efficacy of Abatacept for Rheumatoid Arthritis-Associated Interstitial Lung Disease: Insights from a 12-Month Trial Using Semi-Quantitative Chest High-Resolution Computed Tomography Imaging.

Rheumatoid arthritis-associated interstitial lung disease (RA-ILD) is a major complication of rheumatoid arthritis (RA), but effective treatment remains an unmet need in its management. Our aim was to evaluate the therapeutic efficacy of abatacept for RA-ILD. This observational retrospective study included patients with RA-ILD treated with abatacept between 2012 and 2021.

Safety of Janus kinase inhibitors compared to biological DMARDs in patients with rheumatoid arthritis and renal impairment: the ANSWER cohort study.

Data on the safety of Janus kinase inhibitors (JAKis) in patients with renal impairment are lacking. This study aimed to investigate the safety of JAKis compared to biological (b) DMARDs in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and renal impairment. We used a multi-centre observational registry of patients with RA in Japan (the ANSWER cohort).

Predictive factors and treatment outcomes associated with difficult-to-treat rheumatoid arthritis conditions: the ANSWER cohort study.

Objectives: To investigate the predictive factors for difficult-to-treat rheumatoid arthritis (D2T RA) and assess the efficacy of biologic DMARDs (bDMARDs) and Janus kinase inhibitors (JAKi).

Methods: Retrospective analysis was conducted on data from the ANSWER cohort comprising 3623 RA patients treated with bDMARDs or JAKi in Japan. Multivariate Cox proportional hazards modelling was used to analyse the hazard ratios (HRs) for treatment retention.

Comparative effectiveness of biological disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs and Janus kinase inhibitor monotherapy in rheumatoid arthritis.

Objectives: The objective of this study was to examine the effectiveness and drug tolerability of biological DMARD (bDMARD) and Janus kinase inhibitor (JAKi) monotherapy in patients with RA in a multicentre cohort study.

Methods: Patients with RA for whom bDMARD/JAKi monotherapy without conventional synthetic DMARDs has been initiated were included. Monotherapy regimens were categorized as IL-6 receptor inhibitors (IL-6Ris), cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated protein 4 immunoglobulin (CTLA4Ig), JAKis, or TNF inhibitors (TNFis).

Optimal left ventricular diameter measurement in subjects with sigmoid septum: comparison with three-dimensional left ventricular volume.

Background: The purpose of this study was to determine the most appropriate measurement of left ventricular (LV) end-diastolic diameter for subjects with the sigmoid septum (SS) by measuring the LV end-diastolic diameter at the base and mid-ventricle and by examining the relationship between these measurements and the three-dimensional (3D) echocardiographic LV end-diastolic volume.

Methods: In 91 patients who underwent echocardiography for screening cardiovascular abnormalities, the aorto-septal angle (ASA) was measured as an index of the sigmoid septum. LV end-diastolic diameter was measured at the base and mid-ventricular level (DD and DD, respectively), and their average value was calculated (DD).

Prognostic Factors Affecting Death in Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis Complicated by Pneumonia and One-Year Clinical Course: The ANSWER Cohort Study.

This multicenter retrospective study aimed to clarify the prognostic factors for mortality and changes in treatment modalities and disease activities after the onset of pneumonia (PCP) in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Data regarding the clinical background, treatment modalities, and disease activity indicators of RA at the onset of PCP (baseline), and 6 months and 12 months after treatment were extracted. Of the 37 patients with RA-PCP (median age, 69 years; 73% female), chemical prophylaxis was administered to 8.

Prognostic factors affecting respiratory-related death in patients with rheumatoid arthritis complicated by interstitial lung disease: An ANSWER cohort study.

The aim of this multi-centre retrospective study was to clarify the prognostic factors for respiratory-related death in patients with interstitial lung disease (ILD) complicated rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Patient background data, treatment regimen, and disease activity indicators of RA and ILD at baseline, 6 months after the diagnosis of ILD, and at the last follow-up visit were extracted. A total of 312 patients with RA-ILD (17 patients who died from respiratory-related causes and 295 survivors) were included.

The real-world effectiveness of anti-RANKL antibody denosumab on the clinical fracture prevention in patients with rheumatoid arthritis: The ANSWER cohort study.

Objectives: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic inflammatory disease characterized by localized and generalized bone loss. The risk of fractures is doubled in patients with RA. Denosumab, an anti-RANKL monoclonal antibody, is used for those with osteoporosis at high risk fracture and it has inhibitory effect of progressive bone erosion in patients with RA.

Multireference Perturbation Theory Combined with PCM and RISM Solvation Models: A Benchmark Study for Chemical Energetics.

The polarizable continuum model (PCM) has been one of the most widely used approaches to take into account the solvation effect in quantum chemical calculations. In this paper, we performed a series of benchmark calculations to assess the accuracy of the PCM scheme combined with the second-order complete-active-space perturbation theory (CASPT2) for molecular systems in polar solvents. For solute molecules with extensive conjugated π orbitals, exemplified by elongated conjugated arylcarbenes, we have incorporated the density matrix renormalization group algorithm into the PCM-CASPT2 method.

The addition of iguratimod can reduce methotrexate dose in rheumatoid arthritis with clinical remission.

Objectives: We prospectively evaluated whether the addition of iguratimod (IGU) could sustain clinical remission in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients after tapering of methotrexate (MTX).

Methods: The study included 47 patients; 25 patients in the MTX maintenance group, and 22 patients in the IGU addition group who were treated with additional IGU and tapering of MTX dose. Clinical efficacy and safety were evaluated at 12, 24, and 36 weeks.

Drug retention of sarilumab, baricitinib, and tofacitinib in patients with rheumatoid arthritis: the ANSWER cohort study.

Objectives: The aim of this multicenter, retrospective study was to clarify the retention rates of sarilumab (SAR), baricitinib (BAR), and tofacitinib (TOF) in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

Methods: Patients treated with either SAR (n = 62), BAR (n = 166), or TOF (n = 185) (females, 80.9%; age, 61.

Simplified disease activity index and clinical disease activity index before and during pregnancy correlate with those at postpartum in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

Objectives: We explored rheumatoid arthritis (RA) disease activity before, during, and after pregnancy in patients treated with tight control and investigated the association between disease activity in the postpartum period and those before and during pregnancy.

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed disease activity and medications of 27 patients before pregnancy, at every trimester, and in the postpartum period.

Results: Prednisolone was administered to 33% of patients with a median dose of 0 (0-2.

Increased circulating peroxiredoxin-4 in sepsis model rats involves secretion from hepatocytes and is mitigated by GYY4137.

Circulating peroxiredoxin-4 (Prx4) is suggested as a prognosis marker as well as a regulator of many diseases. We aimed to examine 1) whether Prx4 is secreted from the liver in an animal model of sepsis and 2) effects of GYY4137, a hydrogen sulfide donor molecule, on septic liver injury as well as the hepatic secretion of Prx4. Rats (Wistar, male, 6 weeks old) were administered lipopolysaccharide (LPS, 15 mg/kg body weight, i.

Left ventricular global longitudinal strain calculated from manually traced endocardial border lengths utilizing the images for routine ejection fraction measurement by biplane method of disks.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to test whether the fractional change in the endocardial border length between end-diastole and end-systole as manually traced in left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) measurement using the biplane method of disks (MOD) was consistent with the global longitudinal strain derived from speckle-tracking echocardiography.

Methods: For 105 patients who underwent echocardiography, two- and four-chamber images with manually traced endocardial lines for LVEF measurement by MOD were stored. LV endocardial lengths at end-diastole and at end-systole were measured on both images to calculate the fractional length changes, which were averaged (GLS).

Hydrogen sulfide donor NaHS causes bronchitis with enhanced respiratory secretion in rats.

Inhalation of toxic gases is dangerous to humans; experiments using toxic gases themselves are also hazardous to researchers. Gas-releasing molecules are widely used as alternatives to toxic gases, but their impacts on the whole body remain to be examined. To investigate responses during hydrogen sulfide (HS) poisoning, rats (Sprague-Dawley, male, 8-week-old) were intraperitoneally (i.

Correction: Serum matrix metalloproteinase 3 levels are associated with an effect of iguratimod as add-on therapy to biological DMARDs in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.

Efficacy of abatacept tapering therapy for sustained remission in patients with rheumatoid arthritis: Prospective single-center study.

Aim: To investigate whether remission can be sustained for rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients after tapering abatacept (ABT).

Method: All patients were naïve to biological disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (bDMARDs) and in low or moderate Disease Activity Score of 28 joints with C-reactive protein (DAS)28-CRP). ABT was administrated intravenously (IV) or subcutaneously (SC) for 36 weeks to patients with RA, who had not previously received bDMARDs.

Serum matrix metalloproteinase 3 levels are associated with an effect of iguratimod as add-on therapy to biological DMARDs in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

Objective: The aim of this study was to clarify whether serum matrix metalloproteinase 3 (MMP-3) levels are associated with an effect of iguratimod as add-on therapy to biological DMARDs (bDMARDs) in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

Methods: Forty three patients with RA were treated with iguratimod as add-on therapy to bDMARDs. They were classified into remission and non-remission groups at 24 weeks of iguratimod therapy.

Add-on iguratimod as a therapeutic strategy to achieve remission in patients with rheumatoid arthritis inadequately responding to biological DMARDs: A retrospective study.

Objectives: In this study, iguratimod (IGU) was added to rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients inadequately responding to 24-week or longer treatment with biological disease-modifying antirheumatic drug (bDMARDs), its effectiveness was assessed, and factors contributing to remission were evaluated.

Methods: RA patients who fulfilled the following criteria were included: (i) ≥ 24-week of bDMARDs; (ii) 2.6 < disease activity score (DAS) 28-erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) < 5.

Asymptomatic rheumatoid meningitis revealed by magnetic resonance imaging, followed by systemic rheumatic vasculitis: A case report and a review of the literature.

We report the case of a 66-year-old man with seropositive rheumatoid arthritis who developed neurologically asymptomatic rheumatoid meningitis (RM) revealed by MRI. RM worsened and chest CT showed pericardial effusion, pleural effusion, and bilateral consolidation, and his serum C3 level was decreased. We diagnosed systemic rheumatic vasculitis based on these findings.